May 29 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. International Trade
Commission yesterday sought more information before deciding
whether some Samsung Electronics Co. devices infringe Apple Inc.
patents and should be barred from entering the U.S.

The Washington-based panel, in reviewing Apple’s case
against Samsung, asked for additional arguments on three of the
four patents that Judge Thomas Pender said were infringed, and
comments on how an import ban would affect the public. The
dispute involves smartphones and tablet computers.

Initiated in July 2011, the case is one of dozens of patent
battles between the world’s two biggest makers of smartphones.
Apple claims Samsung copies the look and ease-of-use features
that distinguish its iPhone. Samsung has retaliated by alleging
its rival uses fundamental data-transmission technology it
controls without permission. The commission is scheduled to make
a final decision in Samsung’s case against Apple on May 31.

Among the products that Cupertino, California-based Apple
is seeking to block from the U.S. market are Samsung’s Nexus 4G,
Replenish and Intercept mobile phones, and older models of its
Galaxy Tab computer. The judge found that some of Samsung’s
newer products, including the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note, had
worked around the patents. Samsung’s newest phone, the Galaxy S4
that began selling in April, wasn’t part of the case.

Market Share

Samsung, based in Suwon, South Korea, had almost 32 percent
of the global smartphone market in the first quarter, ahead of
Apple’s 17 percent, data from Bloomberg Industries and IDC show.
The two companies are competing to be the top seller in the U.S.
smartphone market, valued at $51 billion in 2012 by Neil Shah,
an analyst with Newton, Massachusetts-based Strategy Analytics.

The ITC, which can block imported products from the U.S.,
is scheduled to make a final decision in the Apple case against
Samsung on Aug. 1.

Pender in October said Samsung infringed a design patent
for the iPhone’s flat front face with wider borders at the top
and bottom. Also found to be infringed were a feature patent for
a multi-touch screen; another patent that covers the translucent
images for applications displayed on a phone or computer screen;
and one for a way to detect when headphone jacks are plugged in.

The commission ordered Pender to make additional findings
regarding the patent on translucent images, and the judge said
Samsung infringed two additional aspects of that patent. He also
said that certain types of Samsung products don’t infringe part
of the first headphone jack patent. Those findings were the
subject of the order issued yesterday.

The Apple case against Samsung is In the Matter of
Electronic Digital Media Devices, 337-796, and Samsung’s case is
In the Matter of Electronic Devices, Including Wireless
Communication Devices, Portable Music and Data Processing
Devices, and Tablet Computers, 337-794, both U.S. International
Trade Commission (Washington).